[Reading Science] Can You Dodge a 'Bullet' Just by Knowing the Muzzle Direction?

Handguns have slower bullet speeds compared to rifles but are usually fired at closer ranges. A slower bullet speed does not necessarily make it easier to dodge.
[Photo by the movie 'John Wick' still cut]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Can a person dodge a bullet? Common sense says it is impossible. However, many movies depict characters dodging bullets. Perhaps influenced by films, some people claim that it is actually possible to dodge bullets.

They argue that by observing the direction of the gun barrel and the finger pulling the trigger, one can dodge the bullet. Is their claim convincing? Scientifically, it has no credibility and is full of cinematic imagination.

According to their claim, to dodge a bullet by watching the gun barrel’s direction and the finger muscle movements pulling the trigger, one must already know the 'bullet’s speed,' 'human reaction time,' and 'bullet trajectory.'

First, the bullet’s speed is faster than sound. If you hear the gunshot, the bullet has already reached the target. Sound travels about 340 meters per second, which is called 'Mach 1.' For a typical rifle, the bullet speed is roughly 900 to 1000 m/s. The M16A1, a major weapon of the past Korean military, fires bullets at 990.6 m/s, and the current main weapon, the K-2, fires at 944.9 m/s.

Even slower pistol bullets travel at least 300 to 400 m/s. The slowest pistol bullets still reach 'Mach 1,' and rifle bullets typically travel at about three times the speed of sound, 'Mach 3,' meaning they travel at least 1000 meters (1 km) per second.

The effective range of the K-2 rifle is 500 to 600 meters, and the military practices aimed shooting within 300 meters. Beyond that distance, it is difficult to accurately identify and aim at the target visually. This is why the farthest target distance at military shooting ranges is 250 meters.

If you shoot a K-2 rifle from 300 meters and twist your body to dodge only the heart, assuming that counts as dodging the bullet, the gunshot sound would be heard almost one second (about 0.9 seconds) later. However, the bullet arrives in about 0.3 seconds. At 300 meters, it is unlikely you could even see the gun barrel’s direction or finger movement, and even if you did, could your body react and dodge in 0.3 seconds?

It takes about 0.3 seconds for a human to perceive an event and command the body to move. If someone had reflexes fast enough to move within 0.3 seconds, they might dodge a bullet. In other words, one would need the ability to observe a situation 300 meters away, know the distance is 300 meters, and have reflexes to twist the body within 0.3 seconds for it to be possible.

What about slower pistol bullets? Pistols are usually used at distances of about 5 to 10 meters. If a slow pistol bullet travels 300 m/s, it theoretically takes 0.03 seconds to reach a target 10 meters away. No matter how fast a person is, this is an impossible time to dodge.

Pistol bullets have a maximum range of about 200 meters and an effective range of about 30 meters. Even at 30 meters, the bullet reaches in about 0.1 seconds. Pistols are generally used within 5 meters, and rifles within 100 meters. Dodging bullets at these distances seems impossible.

The bullet’s trajectory also plays an important role in dodging. So far, we have assumed bullets fly in a straight line to estimate if dodging is possible. In reality, bullets follow a ballistic trajectory, flying in multiple parabolas depending on distance.

If it is impossible to dodge a bullet flying straight, can one dodge a bullet following a ballistic curve? Scientists have worked to stabilize the trajectory of bullets and rockets flying through the air because stabilizing the trajectory improves accuracy. Early bullets were spherical, and methods such as weighting the front and adding fins at the back were used for this reason.

A scene in the movie where a bullet flies through the air. In this film, the bullet transforms like a rocket at intervals, flying several kilometers to annihilate its target.
[Photo by the movie 'Wanted' still shot]

Bullets are usually slender and long. Such bullets have a heavier rear, so their center of gravity is toward the back. When the trigger is pulled in this state, the bullet is likely to flip front to back during flight, which lowers accuracy and destructive power. To counter this, bullets are spun. The rotational force prevents the bullet from flipping during flight.

It is not impossible for a person to dodge a bullet. Theoretically, if a person flies in the same direction and at the same speed as the bullet, for example on an airplane or car, it is possible. During World War II, there are reports of pilots catching bullets with their hands. Scientists analyze that the pilot could have caught bullets fired at the plane while flying at the same speed.

In conclusion, unless you are a superhuman like Superman or The Flash who can move at the speed of light, dodging bullets is impossible. It is something only possible in movies. If you ever consider trying it, please give up. It is fortunate that firearms cannot be owned in Korea.